Henry walker



Sept. 25, 1923. 1,469,058

H. WALKER SOUND BOX Filed May 5, 1925 FMS-3 Off/GJ 1 INVENTOR:

BY a! I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 25, 1923.

UNITED STATES HENRY WALKER, OF

WILMINGTON, DELAVIARE, 0F ONE-HALF TO FRANK F. SLOCOMB, 01? WILMINGTON, DELAVIARE.

SQUND BOX.

Application filed May 5, 1923.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern Be itknown that l, HENRY WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVilmington, coimty of New Castle, State of Delaware, have invented new and useful Sounc Born of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a novel construction of a sound box, wherein I employ a pluralty 0t diaphragms, including an inner and an intermediate diaphragm of novel construction, whereby the reproduced sound waves are modulated and clarified by the vibrations transmitted from one air chamber to another, and by the vibratory tongue forming a portion of the inner diaphragm, by the coaetion of which practically all harsh or metallic sounds are avoided, and the resultant reproduction is rendered smooth, round, full and sympathetic, in a word, natural. Also the scratching sound caused by the contact of the needle point with the moving record, and which has heretofore been so objectionable a feature, is by my improved construction so nearly absorbed and eliminated that it is impossible of detection after a. record has been put in play.

7 To the above ends my invention consists of a novel construction of a sound box comprising a body containing a diaphragm chamber, preferably provided with three diaphragms, the inner diaphragm having a semi-circular or equivalently shaped cut therein extending half way may more or less around the diaphragm near its outer periphery and forming a resilient tongue, while the intermediate diaphragm has ashortcr cut therein preferably out of alignment with the cut in said inner diaphragm the outer diaphragm being solid and all said diaphragms being held in assembled position and separated from each other by gaskets in such a manner that the reproduced sound waves are clarified, so that a natural and faithful reproduction is obtained.

It further consists of other novel features of construction and advantage, all as will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereo; which is at presout preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory Serial No. 836,832.

and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists an be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization oi? these instrumentalities herein shown and d scribed.

Figure 1. represents a front elevation of a sound box embodyingmy invention.

Figure 2 represents a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 view, the Fig. 1.

Figure 4 represents a plan view oi: the intermediate diaphragm in detached position.

Figure 5 represents plan view of the inner diaphragm in oetached position Figure 6 represents a plan view of another form of intermeliate diaphragm, wh ch may he used in lieu of the diaphragm seen in Fig. 4.

Figure 7 represents a plan view of another form of inner diaphragm which may be used in lieu oi? the diaphragm seen in Fig.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates my novel construction or sound box, the same comprising the body 2, having the passage 3 therein, opening into the diaphragm chamber 4t, which is provided with the inner and intermediate diaphragms and 6 of novel construction and the outer diaphragm 7, which is solid or in'iperiorate and of the usual construction. The inner diaphragm 5, is provided with. the curved or equivalently shaped cut 8, which may be in substantially the form of a semi-circle, whose construction contour and extent may be varied to suit the elliects desired and will be understood from Fig. 5.

The intermediate diaphragm 6 is provided with a shorter curved or equivalently shaped cut 9, which is preferably out of alignment with the cut 8, when the diaphragms are assembled. In lieu of the diaphragm 5, I may employ the diaphragm 10 having the irregular cut 11, and in lieu of the intermediate diaphragm 6, I may employ the diaphragm 12 having the straight out 13 therein.

represents a vertical. sectional section being taken on line The outer' diaphragm-7 is solid or imperforate and is provided with a stylus bar 14, and a chuck 1.5 of the usual construction. The inner diaphragm is' seated upon an annular gasket 16. The gasket 17 is interposed between the inner and intermediate diaphragms 5 and 6. T he gasket 18' is inter posed between the intermediate diaphragm 6 and the outer diaphragm 7, the outer periphery ot' which latter is retained 1n position by the outer gasket 19, which 18 clamped in position by the shoulder or flange 20 of the ring 21, which may be threaded or otherwise secured to the body 2. It will be seen that by the construction of the inner diaphragm 5, there is formed a flexible tongue 22, which restores the volume of the sound waves, diminished by the action of the intermediate diaphragm 6.

it will be understood that in the operation of my novel sound box, the sound reproductions are transmitted in the usual manner from the record to the outer solid or imperforatc diaphragm 7 but thence in the manner peculiar to myinvention through the diaphragm 6 to the inner chamber 24 and the inner diaphragm 5. I

In the outer air chamber or resonance chamber 23 formed between the diaphragms 6 and 7, a species of reverberatory action takes place, which action is rendered marzedly less sudden and abrupt by the 7 opening or, cut 9 in the intermediate dia-' phragm 6, which permits'of the intertransference of minute quant1t1es of air through the intermediate diaphragm, to and fromthe inner air chamber 24;, in time with the sound waves emanating from the outer diaphragm 7, and imparted by it to the outer air chamber 23; this diminution in abrupt ness necessarily resulting in a lessening in the extent, though not in the number, of

vibrations of the intermediate diaphragm, and so of the air contained in the inner air chamber 24, as well as of the inner diaphragm 5, The effect of this would be to diminish proportionately the volume of sound transmitted from the inner diaphragm 5 to the tone arm, it it were not for the tongue 22 in the inner diaphragm, which tongue, vibrating'in unison with the air in the inner air chamber 24, and having a much greater extent in its vibrations than the remainder of the inner diaphragm, oi. which it forms a part, this diminution in volume is not only corrected, but by modification of the size and shape of this tongue, the resultant volume of sound may be amplified as may be desired. In brief, the intermediate diaphragm rectifies and clarifies the sound waves, at the expense of lessening their voulme, and the inner diaphragm re- 7 stores this volume, while at the same time retaining all the purity of sound rendered possib e by he c on o the intermed te diaphragm. In addition the very objectionable scratching sound caused by the contact of the needle point with the surface of the moriug record is so nearly taken up and: absorbed while passing through the two air:

chambers 23 and 2st, and the two diaphragms;

and. 6, that is entirely inaudible after the record is put in play. 7

The reproduced sounds are transmitted through the passage 3 to the tone arm and horn ol any conventional type. 1 have found in the pract cal use of my invention that substantially the same results may be obtained from the use of the diaphragmsany'ot the various materials, commonly em ployed, although I have obtained the best results from the use of balrelite. It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction of a sound box and method o t making it which embodies the teatures of advantage enumerated as described in the statement of the invention 7 and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and de scribed preferred embodiments thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that such embodiments are susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character stated, a sound box body having a passage therethrough, an inner diaphragm having a narrow elongated out near its periphery and substantially conforming to the latter and torming a resilient tongue, an intermediate diaphragm having a shorter narrow cut therein, an outer diaphragm, and means for se iarating said diaphragms, so as to form resonance chambers tl'ierebetween.

'2. In a. device of the character stated, a sound box bocy having a passage therethrough, an inner diaphragm having a narrow elongated cut near its periphery, forming a resilient tongue, an intermediate diaphragm having a shorter narrow cut therein, out of alignment with said first mentioned cut, an outer imperforate diaphragm, means for separating said diaphragm so as to form air chambers therebetween and means for retaining said diaphragms in assembling position. '7

3 In a device of the character stated, a s u d- 9% vin a Pa s -s6 t t o sh n inner diaphragm provided with a narrow elongated out near its periphery and extending around substantially half of said periphery, an intermediate diaphragm having a shorter narrow cut therein, out of alignment with said first mentioned out, an outer imperforate diaphragm, gaskets spacing said diaphragm apart so as to form resonance chambers therebetwoen and means for retaining said diaphragms in assembled position.

4. In a device of the character stated, a sound box body having a sound exit passage therein, an outer imperforate diaphragm, an inner diaphragm, having a single peripheral cut therein, forming a. resilient tongue, and outer and inner communicating resonance chambers formed between said diaphragms, the communication between said chambers being out of alignment with said peripheral cut.

5. In a device of the character stated, a sound box body having a sound exit passage therein, an outer imperforate diaphragm, an inner diaphragm, having a single peripheral out therein forming a resilient tongue, and outer and inner communicating resonance chambers formed between said diaphragms, the opening forming a communication between said chambers being shorter and of less area than said peripheral cut and out of alignment with the latter.

6. In a device of the character stated, a sound box body having a sound exit passage therein, an outer diaphragm, and inner and outer communicating resonance chambers in said body, said diaphragm forming the outer wall for said outer chamber, and said inner chamber having an elongated narrow opening to said sound exit passage of such extent as to form a resilient tongue in, proximity to said opening.

HENRY WALKER.

Witnesses C. D. McVAY,

CHARLES RoUD. 

